


Losing Control

by SamoShampioni



Category: Eurovision Song Contest RPF, Music RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: 2013, 2013 Swedish Riots, AU, Alternate Universe, ESC, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest - Freeform, Gen, Malmo 2013, Sweden - Freeform, malmo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-27
Updated: 2013-05-27
Packaged: 2017-12-13 04:23:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/819931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamoShampioni/pseuds/SamoShampioni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not riots. Not here. Not in Sweden. Not in Malmö. How could this be allowed to happen?<br/>Warning: This story is based on the 2013 Swedish riots</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Denial

"It's getting bad. I hear it's spread to outside Stockholm," Petra said, looking down at the newspaper that was sitting on a desk.  
"It has," Christer said sadly, "I don't know what's become of Sweden these past few days."  
"And what about the Eurovision?"  
"Hmmm? What of it, Petra? The riots have spread, sure, but they won't come here. Not to Malmö. They won't. They can't. The contest will continue on as normal."  
"Are you sure? But what about-"  
"All safety procedures have been implemented, I assure you this will be the safest contest yet. The riots won't reach us."  
"We don't know that for sure. Christer, we... we could get another country to host. What about Denmark? Norway? Germany? They're close by, it's not too late."  
"No, no no no. That is unthinkable! How could you even say that? We will continue with the contest. It is our one chance to showcase Sweden to the world. We are a strong nation Petra, we will get through this. We've beaten off worse before."  
\---  
Today was the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. It should have been a happy time for the Swedes, but it wasn't. The tiny nation was gripped by unease as violent riots swept across the country. At first, when the riots in Stockholm started, people wanted to stop the contest completely, or move it to another country at least. But the organisers refused, the EBU believing that the Stockholm riots would stay a local problem. The people in Malmö believed it could never happen to them. But no one ever believes it will happen to them. And indeed, the riots were spreading out of Stockholm to nearby areas. Even when unrest began in other cities, Malmö still didn't believe it would happen to them. They were determined to keep on running the contest, even when the threat of riots loomed ever closer. Even as cities all across Sweden were now seeing so-called 'copycat riots', the EBU and the organisers were determined to keep the contest in the southern city. Even as the riots raged on all around them. Nothing the police did could make it stop. Nothing anyone did could make it stop. The speed of the spread caught everyone by surprise. During the second semi final, the riots started to creep slowly south, coming closer and closer to Malmö. And still the EBU were in denial. Even the Swedes themselves were in denial. Not riots. Not here. Not in Sweden. Not in Malmö. How could this be allowed to happen? With their heads in the sand, no one was preparing anything to get the Nordic nation out of the dire situation it was in. And no one was making plans for the Eurovision Song Contest. How could Sweden host such a high profile event with the nation in such a state of disrepair. The Nordic dream was going up in flames all around them, but no one seemed to be doing anything about it.  
\---  
But, almost anti-climactically, the night went on without incident. The whole of Europe watched as the songs were performed one by one. Now the votes were being counted, and everyone was sure that since nothing bad had happened yet, nothing would. Swedes everywhere tried to forget about the riots in their country and threw themselves in to the most watched musical event of the year. But the riots were still at the back of everyone's minds. They had seen how Stockholm had changed from a vibrant, liberal city into a lawless pit of violent virtually overnight. And if it could happen there, it could happen anywhere.  
"And the winner," Petra Mede, the host, smiled, "Is... Denmark! Congratulations Denmark!"  
There it was. They had made it to the end of the contest and nothing bad had happened. They had done it. Not only was it a victory for Denmark, but a victory for Sweden. Christer had been right, they were a strong nation. They would get through this.  
Danish flags waved throughout the crowd. Emmelie de Forest held the trophy high as the audience cheered for her. She walked out onto the stage, triumphant, but the celebration was to be short lived. Emmelie nearly dropped the trophy as she heard a huge explosion in the distance. The music cut off as hushed whispers could be heard throughout the audience. No. Not now. Why now?  
"What the hell was that?!" the Dane said, suddenly frightened. She didn't need to ask. Everyone had expected the riots to spread to Malmö at some point.  
"Oh god no," Petra said, she knew what it was. She had been anticipating the riots coming for days, hoping against hope that they wouldn't hit the sleepy city of Malmö. But now they had. Looking out of the window of the stadium they could see smoke rising up in the distance. There was no denying it now. It was here. The riots were here. And there was nothing they could do about it.


	2. The Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were only supposed to be here for one week in May. But now it seemed that the Eurovision Song Contest would last much longer.

Emmelie stood there for a few moments, bewildered, on the stage as the audience pushed and shoved to leave the stadium. It was Petra who ran up and pulled her off the stage.  
"Emmelie, we've gotta go now!" Petra said as the two of them ran back into the green room, the other Eurovision participants too shocked to do or say anything.  
"What's happening?!" Bonnie yelled. Of course, she too had seen riots before. But the riots in London were nothing compared to this.  
"The riots are here," Petra explained to the entrants, trying to stay calm, "We're all going to leave now and go back to the hotel, ok guys? Do as I say and everything'll be fine."  
The entrants followed her from the green room to the back door of the stadium. Almost as if the organisers knew it was going to happen, a huge armoured van was waiting for them. Getting inside, they were relieved that there was room for everyone in the van. No one wanted to be left behind, after all. And so began the journey to the hotel, as the entrants sat there in the van in stunned silence. There weren't any windows in the passengers section, and Petra thought that was for the best. She certainly didn't want to see what her beloved city was slowly becoming, and figured that actually seeing the riots would only upset the Eurovision entrants more.  
\---  
No one had expected the riots to hit Malmö as quickly as they did, and it had left a stain on the contest. The Eurovision had mostly gone perfectly, more than perfectly, for it had been a huge success in many ways. Except for that end part. Well, that was supposed to be the end. But it wasn't really. Now it wouldn't end. The riots wouldn't let it end. Not for the entrants, anyway. Now all of the entrants were still stuck in their hotel in Malmö. Most understood that it was for the best, but some of them weren't too happy about it.  
"Why are we still here?!" Cezar demanded, "I want to go home right now!"  
But all the demanding in the world would do no good. You see, they couldn't leave, not right now anyway. Not with the state that Sweden was in. Malmö had become a lawless place virtually overnight. And they had seen it all, the riots, Sweden's descent into mindless violence.  
"We're doing everything we can," Petra assured them, "I promise you."  
"I dunno why we came here," Elitsa said, obviously annoyed at the situation, "I told you we shouldn't have come to Malmö. Now look what's happened."  
"Now now Elitsa," Stoyan said, "No one could have seen this coming."  
And he was right, no one had expected the streets of Sweden to suddenly explode into violence. Drawing all the curtains had done nothing to keep the full scale of the rioting away from them. They could still hear it, still feel it. It was still _happening_ , it was still _real_ , no matter how much they tried to block it out.  
"But why?" Emmelie yelled, looking down at her Eurovision trophy she had only won hours before, "Why are they doing this? What does all this bring anyone? Why won't they all just stop?!"  
"Nothing can stop it now," Robin muttered, the sound of burning surrounding the hotel.  
"It's a nightmare out there," Zlata whispered, "Why is no one doing anything..."  
Christer Björkman felt a little insulted by that. He was one of the organisers of the contest this year. But now it seemed that the entrants expected him to organise a rescue mission.  
"It's not that we're not doing anything," Christer said, "Believe me, I'm just as upset at being stuck here as you are. But I assure you we are trying everything we can to stop this and return you guys home safe. But for now there is nothing we can do."  
"Nothing you can do?! We were only supposed to be here for the contest!" Cezar said, obviously annoyed, "I didn't sign up to this! This is your fault, you do something!"  
"Quit your complaining," Marco said, "No one's stopping you. You can walk out this hotel right now if you want to."  
"Uh..." Well. That sure shut the Romanian up.  
"Ok, look," Christer said, "There's riots everywhere and no obvious way out of Malmö. The organisers can't guarantee your safety if we try and sneak you out of the city. And, it's quite likely that the rioters have already reached the airport. Look, it'll be better for everyone if we all just stay here. It'll only be for a few days. We wouldn't want to risk trying to leave the hotel."  
They all sat in silence for a few moments.  
"I can't even look outside the window," Robin said finally. Even though the curtains were drawn, they could all see the red light outside, burning. But even though they didn't want to see what was happening outside, a part of them was curious. _What does it really look like now?_ It was Moran Mazor who gathered the courage to finally open the curtains.  
"Sorry guys," she muttered, "But we've got to see this."  
She pulled the curtain open to reveal the complete and utter devastation outside. They looked out across the city and immediately wished that they hadn't. Looking out of the window, the entrants could see exactly why they couldn't leave. In the distance they could see a thick fog obscuring the city. Only it wasn't fog. It was smoke. And there were bright lights flickering in the distance. Only they weren't lights. It was _fire_. Standing there in their safe room in the hotel, they could see everything. The skyline was dotted with red, grey and orange, the air filled with shouting and screaming. Thick smoke floated back down to Earth, making it look as if a misty fog covered the entire city. The once peaceful city had been transformed in just a few days. Sweden's decent into mindless violence seemed never ending. Malmö was burning, it was burning all around them. They looked on in shock. They wished the rioters would just stop. But it wouldn't stop. There was nothing they could do to make it stop.  
"It'll die down," Robin replied, not sure who he was trying to convince, "Eventually. It did before, it will again."  
Of course riots in Sweden weren't anything new, there had been many only a few years ago. But they hadn't been anything on this scale.  
"Eventually?" Cezar said, still demanding to leave, "That could still be a long time. A very long time. Just when are we getting out of here, anyway?"  
"I already told you guys yesterday," Christer said, "When the riot dies down."  
"Yeah," Emmelie said, "So like Robin said, eventually. But we don't know when exactly. Not yet."  
"What if it doesn't die down," Bonnie said, "What if it escalates even further?"  
But no one answered her. Because no one wanted to think about that. But then again, denial was what had left the Eurovision entrants in this mess in the first place.  
"Gah, this would never have happened in Romania!" Cezar said angrily.  
"You don't know that for sure," Robin said, "We all thought this could never happen in Sweden. And then it did. Afterwards we said it could never happen again. And now it has."  
"Look," Christer said, "All this arguing isn't doing us any good now, is it? When we can leave, we will, and that's all there is to it."  
"Come on," Cezar said, "We've got that huge armoured van, haven't we? Let's get in it and get outta here!"  
"And go where, Cezar?" Christer yelled, "Where exactly do you propose we go? There's nowhere to go, so do as I say and stay here!"  
"Yeah," Robin said, "Haven't you looked outside lately, come on, we're much safer here, I promise. Most people don't have the luxury of a well guarded hotel, an armoured car, most people here have none of that. We should count ourselves lucky, we really should."  
But they didn't feel very lucky, sitting there in their sitting duck of a hotel, in the midst of a riot that was shaking the Nordic nation to the very core. They were only supposed to be here for one week in May. But now it seemed that the Eurovision Song Contest would last much longer. They just wished that it would end already. But it didn't.


End file.
